Next opponent dispatched U.S. team at France '98
06/18/2002
U.S. soccer players hardly need a classroom lecture on German soccer might
– neither the historical kind nor the physical kind.
There are plenty of witnesses around the U.S. team who saw (and felt)
the physically imposing Germans push around the smaller Americans in a
March exhibition between the teams in Rostock, Germany.
The United States finished on the wrong end of a 4-2 whipping in a
so-called friendly. The Germans, smarting from two consecutive
exhibition losses to the United States, took that game more seriously.
Forward Clint Mathis scored both U.S. goals that day.
Plenty of the same unheralded faces will be on the field when the
Americans butt heads with heavily favored Germany at 6:30 a.m. Friday in
Ulsan, South Korea.
And most of Arena's men had the same reaction following that loss. The
Germans were simply more physical. Manhandling opponents remains a
trademark of German soccer, an essential ingredients in three previous
World Cup championships.
Tactically and physically, it looked like men against boys when Germany
initiated the U.S. fall at France '98 by beating the Americans in their
tournament opener, 2-0.
The Germans won titles in 1954, 1974 and 1990 by combining technical
merit with bullyboy ways. The typical German player couldn't comprehend
stepping meekly into a challenge, uses his arms to the legal limit (and
then some) and leans a body on any opponent within reach.
The Germans have been accused of relying even more on physical power in
the last decade, when muscle and organization carried teams of average
technique no further than the quarterfinals of the 1994 and 1998 World
Cups.
All that workmanlike might could spell bad news for an increasingly
weary U.S. side. Whereas Mexico had an extra day of rest over the United
States, Germany will have two extra days. The Germans outlasted Paraguay
– barely, 1-0 – on Saturday, some 48 hours before the U.S. win.
U.S. coach Bruce Arena must decide whether to play a more conventional
game or stick with the plan that upset Portugal and Mexico. Arena sat
his squad in a defensive posture and waited for chances to counter
attack. It was especially effective in frustrating Mexico in Monday's
2-0 win.
Arena used Claudio Reyna, usually a central player, on the right side of
the midfield. But Reyna played so defensively that he effectively became
an outside fullback. Same for Eddie Lewis on the left, giving the United
States what amounted to a five-man back line.
"It was tough getting our guys back from the game on Friday [against
Poland]," Arena said, noting the brief recovery time. "We had to go with
the game plan that made sense so our guys could endure for 90 to 95
minutes."
When, where: Friday, 6:30 a.m. at Ulsan, South Korea
TV: ESPN2, Univision
How they got here: Germany won Group E and beat Paraguay, 1-0,
in the Round of 16. United States finished second in Group D and beat
Mexico, 2-0, in the Round of 16.
Steve Davis says: The three-time world champs will be favored,
but no team can now relish playing Bruce Arena's adaptable, plucky and
increasingly confident squad. Plus, U.S. goalie Brad Friedel and Co. him
have shown they prefer the role of "hunter" over "hunted."
E-mail
stevedavis@dallasnews.com
USA VS. GERMANY